I had a student try another way of working with chicken wire. We used 1/2 inch mesh and some found objects like broken shells and wood I found on my walks. In the collages I think you can see the development.

I am working with Palette Knife and brush work in acrylic & oil this winter. One project is the Farm Series – of places and things that remind me of the life I knew/know in rural Southern Ontario. A regional and time sensitive project. It started with Niska Bridge and the loss of nature and a sense of the area before bulldozing it all flat.

I am experimenting with the knife and the levels of realism I will use. This is the beginning. Oils and acrylic respond differently as you paint and how – these differences make a mark in the art itself. Then there is the use of the brush – how it can simplify or tidy too much.

Presented with a gift from my students for getting this show together.

Over a year ago I started looking for a venue for our art group to have a show. We were accepted by The Assembly Hall – a local Civic Community Theatre and Conference centre. This year turned out to be a special one as many venues were part of the cultural Spotlight in our West-end part of Toronto. Our show ended the Spotlight on Etobicoke.

My students are varied in skill, style, interest, mediums and devotion to art. Not all of them signed up for the art show. Those who did, worked on their art over the past 12 months. We have monthly challenges and the students came to most of the classes. I run the class all year – 2 classes every Friday unless the Islington Seniors’ Centre has a special weekend event and they need our space.

It was hard to get all the info together during September – as my skills are quite mediocre in the office admin side of things. I created an introduction to the artists binder – where each artist listed their work and said something about their art journey. I designed a poster and invitation cards to be handed out. Then I found out I was working every day the week of the show so I had to get the students to volunteer their time to make sure everything got to the Gallery on time. They have some funny stories about that day and it all worked out. The Gallery did an amazing job arranging the diverse show.

The Art Show Opening was great despite the rain and cold fall night. Many people came. Almost all the artists came and we had a lot of fun mingling and admiring the show.

When the reception was over, 4 pieces had sold. But the end of the 2nd week we had sold 7 pieces. The class is all fired up to do another art show as soon as possible.

I will be looking into another venue but the Senior’s Centre may not financially support another show. All the artists contributed but the Centre paid for most of the expenses: the cards, posters, food and drink at the reception.

The class is now thinking about the next show. They might become a phenomena. Raven is getting a lot of interest in her Medicine Art. As I said, it is a diverse group.

I sent over 100 photos [reworked to look their best and a bit smaller for emails] to the students a few days later. I was moved when one student responded: Wow! Thank you, Jacqueline! What a wonderful assortment of memories, and sending them on so promptly is once again a true reflection of your caring and interest in our efforts. I have always felt that your help with teaching us is only half of the blessings you bring, the other half is your kind and generous spirit. C.

This is the Niska Bridge near Guelph Ontario. It is a one car bridge in what was once a purely rural area. Now it is surrounded by highways and residential & industrial parks. Many of these areas have been flattened and stripped of the original trees. My grandparents lived on this road and farmed just behind where I stood to photograph this bridge. The farm that my great-great grandfather started when he came to this country is now a treeless, flat expanse with a large Tim Horton’s factory in the middle, not too far from here. The Guelph Historical Society is trying to preserve this bridge – and in so doing they will help stall the destruction of this land into a ‘parking lot’ [from Joni Mitchell’s song].

My painting is mostly done with Palette Knife and some brush work. It is done in acrylic on archival board.

I joined an art group recently and they started an inspiration Monday – where we use the image of a crumpled bag to see about 3 different images. It was quite hard but it did get me thinking outside the obvious. One of my results was very Picasso-like.

I set up my acrylic inks and ruled in some ACEO boxes and let myself doodle. These 12 images were done last night & this morning.

John Climenhage has been painting landscapes en plein air for over twenty years, while in the studio, experimenting with various post modern approaches to the development of abstract spaces based on contemporary philosophy and quantum physics.